31. Indians' Economic Woes

The Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (MAICCI) will present a memorandum to the government by the middle of next year to address several economic issues related to the Malaysian Indian community.

One urgent need is to have a proper delivery system within the government to address the issues in a faster and more systematic manner, its President Datuk Pardip Kumar Kukreja said.

He said one request to be made to the government will be to consider a more open regime on licences, tenders and issuance of contracts from the Federal government to the local councils.

MAICCI will also request for about eight percent quota in terms of licences, tenders, contracts, enrolment in universities and scholarships, as well as the recruitment of more Indians in the civil service.

It would also seek to ensure representation of Indians in the government linked companies.

"If there can be a quota system put in place for the community, they will feel that this is a transparent way of issuing contracts and that they are getting a fair share of the cake," he said, adding there is no quota at all at the moment.

There is also a need for a monitoring mechanism to see what has been put in place in the Ninth Malaysia Plan to increase the Indian equity ownership to 3 percent from 1.2 percent, he added.

MAICCI will also request the government to establish an equity trust fund like Amanah Saham Malaysia which will provide the community an avenue for investment with decent returns.

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